Small Decent MP3 player
Written: Sep 14 '04 (Updated Sep 14 '04)
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Pros: Small and Light. Good sound. Easy Drag and Drop Files.
Cons: Flimsy battery cover.
The Bottom Line: Priced well with 128MB internal memory with the option for more thru the SD/MMC expansion slot. This is a good and very portable player for the money.
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| bertbert's Full Review: RCA Lyra RD1071 (128 MB) MP3 Player |
Intro:
There are a huge number of MP3 players out there. I* see some people compare players from differernt classes unfairly. There are basically 3 kinds of players out there. Depending on your needs you may prefer a different class from another. They are:
1. CD/MP3 players - these plays MP3 files burned on a CD-R or CD-RW disc. They pretty much look like CD players with the capability to play CD-ROMs so they still have the standard moving parts. Each disc holds around 700MB.
2. Internal HDD players - These contain an internal hard disk drive. With huge capacity, these players are slightly larger than the flash players but smaller than CD/MP3 players. They still contain some moving parts in the HDD but is a lot less than CD/MP3 players. Battery life of these players are not as good. They usually comes with rechargable high capacity batteries now. Examples of these include, iPod, iPod-mini, Archos, Creative jukebox.
3. Flash players - These uses Flash memory and contains no moving parts. The size is somewhat limited to the internal memory. Some units come with expansion slots where you can insert memory cards to expand the capacity. Some look like a thumb drive with no need for a USB cable. These players are the smallest and lightest making them the most portable. These players also have the longest battery life. The RCA Lyra RD1071 is in this category.
Size and Portability:
With dimensions of 2.1" W x 2" H x 0.7" D, this player is very small and light. It will fit in a pocket easily. It also comes with a good case that feels like a body glove case. As well as a sports arm band. Removing the band, the case's can be hung on a belt. This unit is very portable.
Construction:
The player looks good. Construction is all plastic. The battery cover looks flimsy. Apart from that, the player looks ok. The LCD is large and easy to read. Buttons placement is ok. Play controls are on the face, volume on the side, DSP and play mode on top edge, hold switch on left edge, usb port at the back. I am satisfied with how the controls are laid out.
Power Source:
Power comes from a AAA battery. There is no jack for an adapter. I am happy since AAA is readily available.
Connectivity:
I installed the "system applications" onto my PC. It comes with utilities to format the media on the player. It also installs the drivers for the Player. Once I plug in the USB, the PC sees 2 removable drives, one is LYra's internal 128MB memory, the other is my expansion card.
Expansion:
The card slot takes SD or MMC memory cards. I have tried cards up to 256MB from Sandisk/Viking/Kingston and they all work. Currently I have a 128MB Kingston card in it. With the card in, the PC will see it as a separate removable drive when plugged into USB. When playing back, both internal and expansion are seen as one. When you do random play it will select songs from either.
Sound:
Sound is good. DSP modes include, Flat, Bass, Pop, Rock and Jazz. A lot depends on the headset you use. The ear clip headset that came with the player is not the best. With my own earplug headphones or Sony headsets, the player sounds good. The Rock DSP setting works best for me.
Function:
The player allows random play, repeat all, repeat all random. There is normal track skip. Holding on to the track skip button will fastforward the song. Similarly, holding the track back button will do a rewind. Hitting the track back once will start the current track from the beginning. Hitting it again will bring you to the previous track. Hitting the play button when when playing will pause the playing. The play button also acts as the on switch for the player. The Stop button also doubles as the off button when the player is not playing.
Software:
The system utilities are easy to use. Mostly just drag and drop files into folders. I did not install Musicmatch as I never liked MusicMatch since the beginning of time. When I rip CDs, I use CDex which is much faster, rips at better quality, provides more control and is free. Email me if you want to know where to download it.
Accessories inlcuded:
Ear-clip-on Headset
Body Glove style case
Sports armband
one AAA battery
USB cable
Sofware CD-ROM.
Instruction manual
Overall:
I like this player. It serves my purpose of putting my spare SD memory to use. It is small enough to carry it around with me all the time. Apart from the flimsy battery cover, I am very happy with the player. I heard the newer RCA players now require proprietory software to load mp3s. They did that in the name of "anti-piracy" but it really sucks. That is why I bought this unit as I know it has a drag and drop interface.
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Detailed Specs:
Built-in Memory: 128 MB
External Memory Slot: SD / Multimedia Card
Compatibility: mp3 / mp3PRO* / WMA™
Software: MusicMatch® Jukebox
Play Modes: 6
DSP Modes: Flat / Bass / Pop / Rock / Jazz
Hold Function
Skip Free Memory
Play / Pause / Stop
Skip Tracks
Supported Bit Rates - mp3: 32 kbps up to 320 kbps
Supported Bit Rates - WMA: 48 kbps up to 160 kbps
Supported Bit Rates - mp3PRO: 64 kbps up to 96 kbps
Auto Power Down
Auto Resume
Digital Volume Control
mp3 Equalizer
MusicMatch® Jukebox
Auto DJ (MusicMatch® Function)
Export to WAV (MusicMatch® Function)
Online Instruction Book
Firmware Upgradeable
Key Lock
Drag and Drop (Mass Storage): PC / Mac*
DISPLAY
Display Type: 2-Line Alpha-Numeric
PLAYBACK DISPLAY
Total Number of Tracks
Track Number
Elapsed Play Time
Bit Rate
USB Download
DSP Modes
Play Mode
Hold
Digital Volume Level
Low Battery Indicator
GENERAL DISPLAY
Low Battery
Dead Battery
USB Connection
Memory Card
Key Lock
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
PC Processor: 233 MHz or higher
PC Operating System: Windows 98SE, Me, 2000*, XP
Mac Operating System: OS X-Ver.10.1.5 or higher
Internet Navigator: Explorer 5.0 or Higher
Hard Disk Space Needed: 50 MB for Software Only
CD Driver Capability: Digital Audio Extraction
USB Port
Sound Card
Video Card: 256 Bit Color
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 2.1" W x 2" H x 0.7" D
Approx. Shipping Weight: .67 Lbs.
ACCESSORIES
Headphones: e.clipz™ Clip-on
Headphone Jack: 3.5 mm
Carry Case
Armband: Sports Armband
USB Cable
Batteries: 1 "AAA" Alkaline Battery
Music Management Software
FOOTNOTES
*mp3PRO = mp3PRO upgrade available approximately July 2003
*2000 = Windows 2000 with Service Pack 3.
*Mac = Drag and Drop function only.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 99
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym
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Epinions.com ID:
bertbert
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Location: Shanghai, China
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
There is no spoon.
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